One of the problems that exists during power outages is that of corresponding disruption of communication, lack of visibility in darkened structures or areas and disorientation as to the time of day or night. These circumstances may occur to a lesser extent during relatively minor power disruptions such as thunderstorms, transformer or other service equipment malfunctions and the like, or in more serious power outages during hurricanes, tornadoes, war and similar circumstances.
In the past, there have been efforts to provide lighting and communication equipment that may be useful during such emergencies. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,368,067, entitled “Clock Radio Lamp Combination,” to Paxinos provides a clock-radio combination having a high-intensity lamp, a clock and a radio. However, this combination can only be powered by a source of household alternating current, which in the case of a power failure or black-out, would not be useful for either lighting or listening to the radio.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,649, entitled “Plug-In Emergency Light Fixture,” to McCue et al. provides an emergency light fixture permanently mounted in a conventional power outlet box having a threaded bore for accommodating a screw to mount a face plate, and slots for accommodating an electric plug. The emergency light fixture includes a housing, an electric plug extending from the rear wall of the housing, a battery, a battery charger and a lamp mounted in the housing and wired to provide illumination during power outages. A drawback with the McCue et al. device is that it is permanently mounted in a wall outlet. As such, the device is not useful in a number of emergency situations, such as when the occupants of a dwelling seek to evacuate the dwelling for a better shelter such as a storm cellar.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,147, entitled “Emergency Sign,” to Bowman details an illuminated exit sign having multiple, series-connected, light-emitting diodes arranged to form the word “EXIT” and a control circuit for supplying power to the series-connected diodes from the line power and, during power failures, from battery power. The control circuit illuminates the diodes continuously during normal operation and switches the diodes alternately on and off during a power failure. While the Bowman device has considerable utility in its own right, it, like the McCue et al. device, cannot be used to perform a number of emergency functions such as providing portable light.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,686,424, entitled “Emergency Lighting Circuits,” to Nuckolls et al. details an emergency lighting circuit that includes a lamp which can be energized by a battery-inverter circuit upon power failure. The battery is connected to the inverter circuit and the lamp by a relay that is connected to the rectifier supplying charging current to the battery. The rectifier is connected across the power supply line in series with a ballast reactor. The circuit can be used as emergency lighting only, or the lamp can be employed for normal lighting purposes and switched to the inverter power when line voltage is interrupted. U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,039, entitled “Emergency Lighting Supervisory System,” to Balcom et al. details a system that monitors utility power, in order to automatically connect emergency lights to a battery source when the utility power fails. The system continually monitors selected parameters, automatically periodically tests the system under simulated, full-load conditions and enunciates the results of these tests. The drawback with the Nuckolls et al. and Balcom et al. devices, is that, like the Bowman and McCue et al. devices, they are permanently fixed to conventional power lines and therefore cannot be used in a number of emergency scenarios.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,986, entitled “Combination Light, Radio and Clock,” to Johnson provides a device having a small incandescent light, a radio and clock, all housed within the same cabinet or housing. The light, clock and radio can be used during emergencies when energized by replaceable, rechargeable or non-rechargeable batteries. The Johnson device, while functional, is unsatisfactory. The device includes a power cord. Thus, although the radio will work on battery power, the presence of the power cord makes use of the radio as a portable emergency radio awkward. Furthermore, the light is on the front of the device. Given the flat design of the Johnson device, the positioning of the light on the front panel of the device makes operation of the Johnson device as a flashlight awkward.
U.S. Patent No. 5,465,198, entitled “Combination Clock Radio, Night Light and Power Receptacle,” to Kellogg describes a combination appliance that includes the features of a radio, a clock and a light fixture and an electrical receptacle operated by alternating current. However, the Kellogg appliance is entirely reliant on household current and as such, is wholly inadequate for emergency situations where device portability is needed. Furthermore, the light in the Kellogg appliance is a night light, which again is unsatisfactory for emergency situations, where a bright light is needed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,061 B1, entitled “Combination Lighting System, Alarm Clock, Radio and Television Having Secondary Power Supply,” to McKenzie et al. describes a self-contained, portable, remote controlled combination television receiver, FM/AM radio receiver, clock and electric lamp. Alternative embodiments provide the lamp alone, the lamp and the radio receiver alone, or the lamp and the television receiver alone. Regardless, the McKenzie et al. device as described is bulky and has a power cord, making its use as an emergency device awkward in many emergency situations. For instance, the McKenzie device comes with a remote controlled device in order to control the lamp, radio, and television receiver suggesting the immobility of the device. And one suggested power source is a car battery.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,917 B1, entitled “Combination Flashlight and Two-way Radio,” to Aperocho et al. describes a combination flashlight and two-way radio. The Aperocho et al. device includes a recharging control base that plugs into a conventional AC current source. As such, the Aperocho et al. has the drawback of being complex. Moreover, the Aperocho et al. device lacks important functionality such as a clock and an FM/AM radio.
Given the above background, what is needed beyond the prior art are improved light weight portable emergency devices that are useful in a broad array of emergency situations.